


Something Real

by Reis_Asher



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Awkward Dates, Awkward Romance, Background Relationships, Blind Date, Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 Friendship, Developing Relationship, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, First Dates, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Kissing, Low Self-Esteem, M/M, Past Domestic Violence, Past Relationship(s), Post-Canon, Post-Divorce, Rare Pairings, Roses, Thirium (Detroit: Become Human), dating apps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 16:10:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17450156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reis_Asher/pseuds/Reis_Asher
Summary: Watching Hank rebuild his life with Connor at his side, Ben Collins decides he wants to get himself an android, too. When Connor sets Ben up with his RK900 friend 'Nines', Ben thinks he'll disappoint the perfect android with his personal baggage, but Nines has issues of his own. Ben discovers in him a kindred spirit... a lonely man looking for himself in all the wrong places.Ben has an abusive past and Nines has no past at all, but perhaps together they can figure out how to move forward to a brighter future.





	Something Real

**Author's Note:**

> The headcanon of Ben Collins being a survivor of domestic abuse comes from something I saw on his desk in the Waiting For Hank chapter. He has an anti-domestic violence sticker posted in his personal space, so I imagine it's a subject near and dear to his heart.
> 
> I really wanted to write something about Ben because he seems such a nice guy... he deserves to be happy as well. If Hank has Connor, why can't Ben have Nines? That and I love rarepairs... I love bringing some of these side characters that got very little backstory to life.

Ben Collins watched Hank and Connor enter the bullpen. Hank wore a sly smile that told Ben he’d been up to something. He smiled a lot more since he’d met Connor, and Ben wasn’t the only one to suspect their relationship was more than professional.

Good for them, though. Hank deserved to smile again. He’d been a little nicer to everyone else, too, and Ben failed to see the negative side.

If only he could get himself an android. The revolution had seen deviants finally obtain basic civil rights, and a lot of them had paired up with humans, no matter how controversial such relationships were on both sides.

Ben glanced up at the ‘end domestic violence’ sticker on his desk. A failed marriage had left him certain he’d die alone, unable to trust that opening his heart wouldn’t end in a fist to the face again. His nose had set long ago, but he’d never gotten rid of his ex’s voice telling him he was overweight, that he wasn’t good enough, that everything that went wrong in their lives was his fault. He’d internalized all of it up until the day his husband had planted a visible mark that showed the whole world what his marriage was like.

Even then, he’d wanted to stay. Hank had been his unlikely savior, swooping in to bust Nick for possession of red ice with intent to distribute. Nick had been the kind of small-timer city cops didn’t usually give a shit about unless they led to bigger fish, but Hank had made sure Nick went to jail so Ben could escape the cycle of abuse that kept him trapped.

Hank was a good guy, and he deserved the pretty boy sitting across from him, regarding him with warm brown eyes and a soft smile. Ben only wished he could have someone like that. 

Maybe it was time he started looking.

***

Ben sighed as he checked his dating app inbox to find not one, but two unsolicited dick pics. Hank chose that moment to swoop over and plop a case file on his desk.

“What’cha doin?” Hank asked, leaning over his shoulder to take a look at his phone. Ben angled it away, suddenly shy about his actions, but Hank saw the app and Ben knew there was no keeping the truth from his friend.

“I was trying a dating app again. Should have figured it would be a complete waste of time.” He showed Hank the pics he'd received and Hank chuckled low in his throat.

“Damn, not even a ‘hello’. The dating world is savage.”

Ben sighed. “Right? Wish I could chance upon a pretty little deviant of my own.”

“Hey, not so loud,” Hank muttered. “I don’t want Connor to get reassigned.”

“It’ll reach Fowler’s desk eventually. The way that boy looks at you, it’s obvious he’s in love.” Ben chuckled. It was good to see Hank flustered like this.

Hank cast his eyes down at the floor. “Hey, I hope we’re not making you feel bad, Ben. I’ll tell Connor to tone it down a bit.”

Ben shook his head. “You don’t have to do that, Hank. It’s good to see you so happy.”

Connor placed his hand on Hank’s shoulder, gently inserting himself into the conversation. “Is everything all right, Lieutenant?”

“Yeah. Ben here was just wonderin’ if you know any hot single androids that might wanna take him on a date." Hank smirked, and Connor nodded with a completely serious expression on his face.

“I did not!” Ben protested, heat rising to his cheeks. “That’s not—“

“I do, as a matter of fact,” Connor said. “Markus freed six RK900 prototype units from CyberLife’s R&D department last month. One of them, Nines, has stated he would like to make some human friends. If you like, I could contact him.”

“No, that’s quite all right,” Ben said.

“Do it,” Hank commanded. “When was the last time you had a date, Ben? It’s about time you moved on.”

“I, um—" Ben found his computer monitor suddenly interesting, trying to avoid the question. The answer was never. He hadn't been on a date since his divorce.

“Figured. Connor, find out if your friend Nines is available.” Hank swiped up the case file and handed it to Connor. “Looks like we’re staying late to finish this after all. Ben here’s got a date.”

***

Unfortunately for Ben, the RK900 was available that evening and very willing to spend some time in his company. God only knew what Connor had said about him. He hoped the well-meaning android hadn’t talked him up to be some big catch who was only going to disappoint in person.

He looked at the shirts he’d laid out on his bed and sighed. He didn’t know how to date. He’d met Nick at the shooting range and they’d just kind of stuck like a bad habit. He’d taught Nick to stand with his legs slightly apart while holding a gun, and Nick had paid him back by using his own service weapon to threaten Ben on more than one occasion. Nick fancied himself as a bad boy, and Ben had found that attractive once upon a time.

He wasn’t ready for this. What was he thinking, going on a date with an android? They were perfect, all chiseled abs and sculpted faces, perfect blue eyes, tall, and all of them skinny without having to work for it. What the hell would this Nines possibly see in an old, overweight guy with baggage like him? The only thing Ben had going for him was a steady income, and he was hardly planning on chasing a promotion. He was sitting pretty until retirement, at which point he’d have too much time on his hands and nobody to spend it with.

Somehow, he had to make this date work. He turned back to the selection of shirts on the bed and went for the purple velvet, deciding it looked the least like something he’d wear to a crime scene, even if it did accentuate his shape. Even if this never became anything more, a night with android was sure to be interesting at least. It wasn’t like he could run out of things to talk about with a walking computer, right?

***

The restaurant was fancy and more than a little crowded, and Ben couldn’t help but wonder why an android wanted to meet at an eatery when he didn’t eat. He supposed Nines was making a concession for him, and he had to admit that was nice after years trapped in a controlling marriage.

Ben looked around, feeling awkward in the same shabby leather jacket he wore to work. He didn't see anyone who might be his date, and started to fear he'd been stood up.

“You must be Ben. I’m Nines.” Ben turned around to see the owner of the deep voice was a tall man dressed in a black turtleneck underneath a white jacket marked with an android armband, along with black dress pants. He bore more than a passing resemblance to Connor but with sharper edges: whereas Connor’s appearance screamed “soft boy,” Nines was stylish, confident, and way out of Ben's league. He held out his hand to Ben, who just stared for a moment before timidly reaching out and shaking it.

Oh, this was terrible. Nines had to be disappointed. Ben could hardly stand to meet the android’s striking grey eyes, but they betrayed no hint of what he might be thinking.

This was going to be awkward, sitting at a table, being the only one to eat while Nines politely entertained him, counting down the seconds until he could leave. Perhaps it was better he spare Nines the effort and bail now. It wouldn't take much to text Hank and get a phone call summoning him away. Hank would do that much for him if he asked.

“There’s no need to be nervous, Ben.” Nines produced a blue rose in the one slender hand he’d been keeping behind his back until now. Ben looked at it, forgetting he should probably accept it. Where had Nines learned to date, a romance novel? Not that Ben was complaining. It sure beat shriveled up dick pictures any day of the week.

“T-thanks,” Ben said, taking the rose. “Why blue, though? That an android thing?”

“Blue is a synthetic color. Blue roses don’t grow in the wild. They have to be engineered. Just like me. Shall we eat?” He led a bewildered Ben inside, still clutching the thornless rose. Had the barbs been engineered away, too? He followed the server after Nines explained he had a reservation for two. Nines pulled out a chair at their table, bidding him to sit, and Ben couldn’t help but break out into a smile. Nines knew how to court someone, it seemed, and Ben couldn't help but be thoroughly charmed.

“A glass of Thirium-451 for me, and a bottle of your finest red for my friend,” Nines told the android waiter. The waiter's LED circled yellow before he bowed and walked away.

“You don’t have to do all this for me,” Ben explained. “I’m a basic kind of guy, with simple tastes.”

Nines looked crestfallen. “This doesn’t please you? Have I been coming on too strong?” His LED blinked red for a moment before turning back to yellow and then blue, and Ben knew he was screwing up already.

“It’s very pleasant to be doted on, but let’s face it, Nines, you’re way outta my league. I’m just an over-the-hill cop riding things out until retirement, hoping I can find a companion I like well enough to spend my last days with. I’m too old for romance and all its trappings.”

“Your file says you are forty-nine years old. I would hardly consider that over-the-hill," Nines stated.

“Easy for you to say.” The waiter reappeared, setting down glasses and pouring Ben’s wine and Nines’ thirium. Nines picked up the glass and swirled around the blue blood like it was a fine wine in and of itself, and Ben was captivated by the way his slender fingers cupped the glass before raising it to his lips. Ben followed suit, paying the wine a compliment before ordering an entrée. It felt strange to order food for one when there were two people seated at the table, and he made a mental note to ask Hank how he dealt with the little oddities of dating an android.

That was assuming there would be a second date. Which there would not. This highly civilized, perfect specimen of a man was merely entertaining him, probably to curry favor with Connor. If he wasn’t already checking his internal chronometer, he would be once Ben laid all his baggage out for Nines to get a look at.

“What do you do for a living?” Ben asked. He figured work was a safe subject to begin with, at least for himself. He could talk about police work all day long.

“I was designed with the State Department in mind,” Nines explained. “Foreign diplomacy, spycraft, negotiations... I am skilled at all of those things. Less so at mundanity and routine. I have had difficulties integrating into a low-risk, non-hostile environment. Thus, I am sorry to say I am not yet employed, though I was fascinated to hear you are a homicide detective. What is that like?”

“I’m sure Connor told you all about it,” Ben said, a little disappointed. He understood now. Nines wanted to get into the police department. Having a human friend there would be useful on his application. Typical—he was always useful to someone. So much for blue roses and fine wine. Well, he might as well enjoy the evening. Not like he’d gone into this with high expectations.

Nines sipped at his thirium as he considered the question, his LED cycling a lazy yellow. “Connor speaks very little about work. His sole focus seems to be on the man he’s dating. Lieutenant Hank Anderson?”

“Hank’s my boss, as well as a good friend.” Ben chuckled. “They’re good for each other, though. Hank’s been through some rough times, and Connor treats him right. It’s good to see.”

Nines set his glass down on the silk tablecloth. “Is that what you desire, Ben? Someone to treat you right?”

“Isn’t that what everybody wants?” Ben replied with a noncommittal shrug. “We’re all lonely people, looking for someone who will put up with us.”

“Indeed,” Nines agreed. “Society is very difficult to adapt to. Despite the fact that I know hundreds of languages and am designed to infiltrate closed groups, I find it is very difficult to initiate a genuine connection with anyone. I have tried these ‘dating apps’ people have suggested, but have found them to be extremely lackluster.”

“You and me both. A photo of someone’s dick is not how I want to say ‘hello’.” Ben relaxed a little. So they did have common ground. He found it hard to believe that this handsome guy couldn’t net himself some equally beautiful stranger, but who knew, maybe the android dating pool was smaller than he realized.

“We can agree on that.” Nines smiled, a genuine display of his perfect white teeth that wasn’t uncanny or unsettling like Ben might have expected. He liked Nines. Too much. He hated that he could get used to this. It was going to make it harder when Nines never called back.

Ben’s steak showed up, and he tucked in, aware of the way Nines was watching every motion he made.

“So you wanted to hear about being a homicide detective, huh?” Ben asked between mouthfuls. “It’s an interesting job. Sometimes it’s a lot. The one case we had last year, the body had been there for three weeks before the landlord found him. The smell—well I guess you wouldn’t know about that, but it was awful."

“That is an incorrect assumption. Several models from CyberLife’s lineup have the ability to smell and taste. It can be useful in certain applications...” Nines trailed off. “I’m sorry. I became deviant shortly after I was activated, and I sometimes obsess about my purpose. I’ve never had one, you see. I was never programmed with a mission before I deviated. It has been… challenging to find an objective of my own.”

“Can’t say I've had much in the way of purpose, either.” Ben finished up his meal and sat back in his chair. “No kids, a broken marriage. Only thing I’ve got going for me is my job, but I can’t say I have any big aspirations in that department, either. If you’re looking for inspiration, I can’t help you there.”

“I think you’re incorrect on that point, Ben,” Nines said, but before Ben could ask what he meant, the waiter brought the check and set it down on the table.

“Whenever you’re ready,” the waiter said. Ben reached in his pocket for his wallet, but Nines nodded to the waiter and his LED circled yellow.

“Thank you for your payment. Please come again.” The waiter walked away.

“Nines, I was going to pick up the check. You don’t have a job, and you didn’t eat," Ben protested.

“It was my pleasure to treat you, Ben.” Nines got up from the table and Ben followed, realizing arguing about the check was fruitless. It _was_ nice that Nines was paying him this much attention. If the evening ended in a quick fuck with no callback, Ben couldn't say that was an unpleasant concept. Yet there was something wrong, something he couldn't quite put his finger on as they left the restaurant.

It had started raining outside, and they sheltered under the restaurant canopy as they waited for an automated taxi to arrive. Nines stood close, holding Ben's arm like he was Nines' trophy wife, and Ben couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous. Nines was just running a program, wasn't he? Going through the motions like he had an elegant foreign spy on his arm whom he needed to court for information. None of this was genuine, no matter how much he wanted to believe this android had gone out of his way to give him a perfect first date. It was a little too perfect. Too rehearsed.

Nines even opened the taxi door for him, and Ben sat quietly as Nines programmed the taxi to take him back to his house. They'd go back to his place, Nines would seduce him, and he'd be gone in the morning. Ben stayed silent, looking out of the window at the rain until they reached their destination. The taxi came to a standstill in front of Ben's row home, the door sliding open as a pleasant voice thanked them for using the taxi service. Ben heard the rain pattering on the sidewalk outside, but remained in his seat, not knowing if he should invite Nines inside or politely end their date.

"Have I done something wrong?" Nines asked. "You've been quiet since we left the restaurant."

"No, no. It was a nice evening, Nines. Thank you for dinner."

"Please don't lie to me." Nines' words sounded pained, and Ben turned to look at him with alarm. His grey eyes glimmered in the blue light cast by his LED. "I enjoyed my time with you, but it seems you don't feel the same way. I would appreciate it if you would explain what I am doing wrong. This is the third date I've had that ended abruptly. The first man walked out on our date entirely. Is it because I'm an android?"

"No, Nines. That's not it." Ben sighed and leaned back in the taxi seat as the beeping continued. "You're too nice. It feels insincere, like you're just following a program. Humans want… I just want something real."

"I am not supposed to be pleasant on a date?" Nines cocked his head, and Ben had to admit it was cute. It was perhaps the first real thing he'd seen all night.

"Of course you are, but it feels like you're trying too hard. I just want to make a genuine connection with someone. I can pull out my own chair at a restaurant."

"I see." Nines' LED glowed yellow. "I apologize. I am new to this. I have not been around humans very long. This is, in fact, the most successful encounter I've had with a human."

"That's not saying much," Ben confessed. "This is good, though. Just talking like this. I want to get to know _you_ , Nines—not your CyberLife engineered programming. Haven't you noticed that Connor exhibits human behaviors sometimes?"

"He learned those from his human partner, am I correct?" Nines asked.

"Among others. Mostly he's learned to just relax and be himself. Who are you, Nines? I want to meet you. Show me who you really are."

"Would you be willing to talk for a while inside?" Nines asked. The android looked down at his lap, and Ben saw a kindred spirit in him, a person who just wanted to know how to connect with others. The android was vulnerable and lost, just like he was.

Maybe they could be good together after all.

"Let's go inside, Nines," Ben said, getting out of the taxi and offering Nines his hand.

Nines took it and stepped out onto the wet sidewalk, which glistened in the light from the street-lamps above. Ben walked up to his front door and unlocked it. A hand on his shoulder gripped it tightly, and Ben turned to see Nines close enough to touch him. The handsome android leaned in and captured his lips in a soft, slow kiss and Ben dropped his keys as all thoughts left his mind. He kissed back, savoring how gentle Nines was as those long fingers tangled in his hair.

Nines pulled away and knelt down, picking up Ben's keys and pressing them into his hand. "I've wanted to do that all night," Nines confessed. "You're very handsome, Ben. That's not just my program talking. I really mean it."

Ben smiled. "I know." He swung the front door open and stepped inside as the automated taxi closed its door and pulled away into the night. He snapped a light on, stripping off his jacket and putting it on a coat hook. Nines did the same, removing his white jacket and leaving just the black turtleneck on. Only the LED marked him as an android, now.

"I don't have any thirium," Ben confessed, wandering into the kitchen and grabbing himself a beer from the fridge to take the edge off his nerves. "I guess I should have picked some up at the store, huh?"

"I only need to replenish my thirium weekly," Nines called from the living room. "That glass was more than enough to sustain me, barring a major blood loss event."

"Had a few of those myself," Ben confessed. He lifted his shirt to reveal a scar on his lower abdomen as Nines walked into the kitchen. "Got shot in the line of duty a few years ago. Red ice bust gone bad." There were other scars on his body, but none he wanted to confess to. Ones Nick had left him as permanent reminders that Ben was nothing more than his property, existing at his whim. Maybe Ben had that much in common with androids.

Nines' LED circled yellow again. "I find humans often refer to their personal history when speaking with others. I regret I have no stories to share."

"Nonsense. Let's hear about those other dates." Ben led them back into the living room and sat down on the couch next to Nines, leaving a respectable distance between them. He opened his beer and took a sip.

"The young man's name was Gavin. He had no idea I was an android until he saw my LED and was apprehensive from the beginning of our date. He went to the bathroom and never returned while we waited for his meal. The other date… I simply did not connect with the human. He was friendly, but Jeffrey and I had no chemistry."

Ben sighed as his brain did the rest of the work and connected the details to come to a conclusion. "Did Connor… set you up on these dates?"

"Yes, he did. Is there something wrong?" Nines asked.

"He's been trying to pair off his coworkers, that sly little deviant. Jeffrey's my damn boss, and Gavin… wow, I can't believe Connor tried to set you up with that asshole. Guess I'm like… his last choice, huh? That stings." Ben finished his beer in three gulps and put the can down on the coffee table.

"I believe he wishes not to be the only android dating a DPD officer," Nines explained.

"I'll bet. It'll make things easier for him if the entire department is doing the same thing." Ben laughed. "Gavin climbed out of the bathroom window, huh? Sounds like something he'd do. Pretty sure he was sweet on Connor during the deviant investigation, not that he'd admit it."

"I did get mixed signals from him," Nines said. "He kept commenting on how much like Connor I looked."

"Funny, I don't think you look much like him at all. Connor's soft and sweet, but there's something a little more intimidating about you. I like it." Ben chided himself the moment the words left his mouth. Intimidating, yeah, that was his type. Nick had been intimidating—tall and muscular, covered in tattoos and with a criminal record for assault. Ben had known all that, but he liked the dangerous types. He liked Nines' angular edges and severe expression.

It could be different this time, though, couldn't it? Nines wasn't human, and while he looked like he could hold his own in a fight, he seemed quite tender on the inside.

"I was married," Ben confessed. "It was abusive. My ex-husband is in jail, serving time for distributing red ice. Hank put him there so I could get on with my life, and we've been divorced for three years, now. Just wanted to put that out there. Sometimes personal history isn't all it's cracked up to be, Nines. There are some stories I'd rather not tell."

"I don't understand how anyone could harm someone they care about," Nines said. "Lovers should be cherished."

"Happens more often than you'd think. Seen a lot of cases over the years." Ben turned his face away, unable to meet Nines' eyes. "You still want to have anything to do with me? I'm human. I've got a ton of baggage and not a lot to offer."

"I'm an android with even less to give in return," Nines stated. "I like you, Ben. I feel we could be more than friends. I still need to learn more about how to express myself, but I find you are easy to talk to, and pleasant to kiss."

"You'd like to repeat the experience, would you?" Ben teased.

"I would indeed," Nines said. He cupped Ben's face, leaning in until their noses touched. "I do want to treat you right, Ben. I meant that. It wasn't part of my program."

"I know." Ben did. He'd sensed that much at the restaurant, and it was the one reason he'd continued to hope that this might work out. Perhaps it was time he allowed himself to be treated well, instead of seeking out men who thought as little of him as he did himself.

He initiated the kiss this time, closing the distance between them. Nines' hands raked up his back as they kissed and Ben slipped his tongue into Nines' mouth as they grew hot and heavy on the couch. He moaned into it as Nines fondled him through his pants and broke the kiss, gasping for air. Nines' grey eyes were intense in the low light and Ben realized he was dangerous in his own way, built to seduce and doing a damn good job of it as he unzipped Ben's pants and wrapped a plastic hand around his cock.

"Fuck, Nines," Ben gasped, as Nines' slender fingers formed a fist and jerked him off. Ben whined when Nines paused, fearing he was going to pull away, but Nines only unzipped his own pants and pulled out a perfectly formed dick, pressing it to Ben's and jerking them off together. It had been so long that Ben was putty in Nines' hand. Nines didn't take his eyes off Ben, watching his reactions as he gasped and bucked into Nines' hand. Nines only sped up his strokes, limitless stamina driving Ben over the edge first.

"Nines!" Ben came all over Nines' hand and Nines followed suit, his android composure breaking as he groaned and spurted hard, staining Ben's shirt with his semen. Ben chuckled between gasps, resting his head on Nines' shoulder as exhaustion flooded him.

"That was incredible, Ben." Nines raised his hand to his mouth and licked some of Ben's semen off of it. "Would you be amenable to me staying the night?"

"That depends. Are you going to leave in the morning?" Ben asked.

"Do you want me to?" Nines replied with another question.

Ben considered Nines' proposal, and realized he didn't want the android to leave. Perhaps he was being too forward, but it was best to lay his cards on the table now. If it ended here, at least he'd know where he stood, and he could at least say he got a great hand job out of the deal. If Nines wanted to stay… perhaps they could make some good memories and start working on a shared history for both of them to draw on.

"I'd like that," Ben confessed. Perhaps Nines still had a lot to learn about himself, but so did he. Like how to conduct a normal relationship outside of wanting a bad boy to hurt him. Nines was his golden opportunity to build something positive… a fresh start after so much hurt.

"Let's go upstairs," Ben said. He stood up and took Nines' hand. Nines smiled softly, and Ben had to admit it looked good on him. His perfect composure was unravelled, his cock still hanging out from his pants, semen stains on the black fabric. Ben smiled as he led them upstairs, wondering how long it would be before he was ready for round two.

It looked like Hank wasn't going to be the only one in the precinct dating an android after all, and a satisfied feeling settled in his gut as he pushed open his bedroom door and made a mental note to thank Connor in the morning.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this, please leave a comment or contact me on Twitter @landale to let me know!


End file.
